Spoilers ahead for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were recently treated to a long-awaited upcoming Marvel movie in Daniel Destin Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The blockbuster picked up after No Way Home‘s ending, which saw Doctor Strange’s spell erase the world’s memories of Peter Parker… including Ned and MJ. Much of the new movie is about this disconnect between the characters played by Tom Holland and Zendaya, and I have to say I much prefer the MJ storyline to how Gamora was handled in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription).
Gamora’s death in Avengers: Infinity War set shockwaves through the MCU. And while she was resurrected in Endgame by having a past version of her arrive via time travel, that Gamora had never met Peter Quill and the rest of the Guardians. We watched as Star-Lord tried to reconnect with her in Vol. 3, but I think that the Peter Parker/MJ version of this dynamic was more successful.
I Loved The Way MJ Rejected Peter In Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Both Guardians 3 and Spider-Man: Brand New Day saw their movie’s respective Peter trying to reconnect with a girlfriend who has no memories of their time together. But I felt way more moved and emotionally moved by the latter, and I think there are a few reasons why.
To start, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is ultimately a story centered around Rocket. While we see new Gamora and Star-Lord’s relationship (or lack thereof), it’s not given quite as much time and focus as Peter and MJ in the new Spider-Man movie. Additionally, Gamora makes it clear that she has absolutely no interest in trying to get to know Peter Quill. And as a result, their lack of a true reconciliation came and went without me shedding a tear.
Meanwhile, Peter Parker’s longing for MJ (and Ned) is at the heart of Brand New Day. While he’s trying to keep a healthy boundary since she no longer knows who he is, that changes when Jean Grey drops her name early on in the movie. Spidey immediately swings into action, and the two are forced to meet and work together as a result. The fake-out of Zendaya’s character “remembering” was a true gut punch, one inflicted by an angry Jean who was controlling her mind. Things only got more emotional from there.
Eventually MJ discovers Peter’s letter, learning the truth about their former relationship, and the spell that removed her memories. She unfortunately doesn’t have any feelings for him, despite knowing their history. She lets him down plainly but kindly, in a way that feels surprisingly like a regular breakup. Afterward, she still invites him into her apartment to hang with Ned. What’s more, we see the drawing she made of them in Peter’s hospital room after the final conflict.
While Star-Lord and Spider-Man didn’t get the romantic reunion they were hoping for, I thought that the way No Way Home handled this unrequited love story was far more powerful. Although after Ned’s muscle memory seemingly snapped him out of Strange’s spell in the movie’s final scene, maybe there’s still hope.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. Folks who want to re-watch Gamora and Star-Lord’s love story can stream the Guardians and Avengers movies on Disney+.
